It starts with a percussive sound, like a tribal drumbeat in the distance.

The cacophony grows louder, ratcheting up the tension as onlookers crane their necks. Before we know it, the smell of wet fur is upon us. And so is the first wave of Krampuses — stealing hats, threatening to put small children in sacks and posing for Instagram-ready selfies.

This is Christmas in Munich, and it’s just one example of how Germany and France really know how to enliven the holiday season. As the days grow short and the weather grows frigid, the region’s Christmas markets spread warmth and joy in big cities and small towns alike.

Around 300 Krampuses run amok at the Munich Christmas market.

(Travis Pinson/Special Contributor)

Visitors will find some recurring themes at most Christmas markets, along with some rare treats that make certain markets stand out. Here’s a primer, based on my efforts to visit as many Christmas markets as possible.

The staples

Many visitors to German Christmas markets like to collect the unique mugs available in different cities.

(Ann Pinson/Special Contributor)

One constant at the Christmas markets is Glühwein, the hot mulled wine that many marketgoers swear by as a way to keep warm. My wife loves the stuff; it isn’t for me. But we can both agree on the mugs, another key attraction for visitors. Many markets offer unique mugs with their drinks, often depicting local landmarks and bearing the town’s name. You can return the mug and receive a few euros back in the form of your deposit, but where’s the fun in that? It’s much better to collect as many as you can.

In the 50,000-strong U.S. military community centered on Kaiserslautern and Ramstein Air Base, Americans share mug photos on Facebook to help others decide which market to hit up next.

Illuminated stars and other holiday decorations are staples at Christmas markets in Mainz and other German cities.

(Travis Pinson/Special Contributor)

You'll need something to wash down with all that gluhwein, and food options abound. All manner of bratwurst is available, along with potato pancakes, spätzle and flammkuchen (a flat bread with toppings popular in southwest Germany and the Alsace region of France). Dampfnudel, a doughy baked dumpling, is also popular, as are roasted nuts. Kids love the gingerbread cookies with icing, which can be worn as a necklace thanks to a thin ribbon that runs through them.

Merchants at the markets sell all kinds of goods, including brilliant illuminated stars, ornaments and miniature buildings to create holiday villages on your mantel. Wooden Christmas pyramids, which feature a fan on top that spins thanks to the warm air of lit candles, are also popular items. And many markets boast giant-size pyramids among their decorations.

Christmas pyramids, like this one in Munich, are popular at German holiday markets.

(Ann Pinson/Special Contributor)

A number of Christmas markets, including those in Stuttgart, Wiesbaden and Heidelberg, have outdoor ice rinks that are hard on the ankles but easy on the eyes.

The standouts

The Krampus run in Munich is a spectacle, and a fairly unique one at that. Around 300 costume-clad Krampuses parade down the street twice in December — this year on Dec. 9 and Dec. 23. In Central European lore, Krampus is a horned creature — part goat, part demon — who punishes the kids on Santa’s naughty list.

An enthusiastic crowd braved the light rain during Munich's Krampus run on Dec. 9. The Krampuses will parade through the city again on Dec. 23.

(Ann Pinson/Special Contributor)

In Germany, the terrifying creature is primarily found in Bavaria, which is what sent us to the regional capital of Munich in search of his delightful brand of holiday mayhem.

Santa makes an appearance at many markets. But in Saarbrücken, a German city near the French border, the jolly elf can be spotted taking flight thanks to a wire that suspends him and his sleigh high above the market. Santa and his helper (both live humans, both fearless) wave to the crowd below as the sled sails along the wire.

In St. Wendel, a small German city with big market ambitions, a free snow hill provides pure bliss for visiting children, who speed down on spinning inner tubes and briefly go airborne midway down thanks to a small ramp. It’s also among the handful of towns that includes a Middle Ages market (think Renaissance fair) alongside its Christmas market. We encountered another Middle Ages market in Esslingen am Neckar, a scenic suburb of Stuttgart that’s filled with half-timber homes and colorful medieval architecture.

The Ferris wheel at the Christmas market in Metz, France, sits alongside the city's Gothic cathedral.

(Travis Pinson/Special Contributor)

Many of the markets have Ferris wheels. But in Metz, a lovely city in the Grand Est region of France, the tall carnival ride offers a rare chance to look down on the gargoyles and ornate decorations of the city’s Gothic cathedral, which practically glows in the sunlight thanks to its yellow limestone facade.

Strasbourg, dubbed France’s “Capitale de Noël” thanks to its hundreds of market stalls that occupy much of the medieval old town, sets aside space each year to highlight another country’s holiday traditions. Last year, it hosted an Icelandic Christmas village. This year, it’s Luxembourg’s turn.

Travis Pinson is a contributing editor and freelance writer based in Germany.

Many Christmas markets have rides for kids, including this one in Metz, France.